Monthly Archives: December 2009

Friday’s Fave Five

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Susanne at Living to Tell the Story hosts a “Friday Fave Five” in which we share our five favorite things from the past week. Click on the button to read more of the details, and you can visit Susanne to see the list of others’ favorites or to join in.

So here are five of my favorite things from this past week:

1. Eating out at one of our favorite Mexican food places last weekend. I love the chicken chimichangas at that particular place. I’ve thought about trying to learn to make them…but they do such a great job, I will just enjoy theirs.

2. Jesse’s first JV basketball game of the season. It was nice because all of us were able to be there, even Grandma. And…well, let’s just say last year they didn’t win more than they did win…and they WON their first game this week!! We started out about 10 points behind, but then we got ahead, then it was neck and neck, and then we were ahead the last quarter. It was a pretty exciting game — and I am not normally much of a sports enthusiast! I love it when it’s not a complete slaughter one way or the other.

3. Our town’s annual “Dickens of a Christmas” celebration.

4. A handy husband who knew how to fix the leaky washer — had to replace the pump, which had a crack in it.

5. A sweet daughter-in-law who made meals a couple of days when I was under the weather.

Bonus:

These cute little bottle brush trees ordered from Reflections From the Stone Nest. I think the tallest one is maybe 6″. I’m afraid I am just going to have to leave you with a link to the photo of them on her site, because after spending way more time than I have this morning, I can’t get my photo of them to upload either here on WordPress or on Flickr. But they are cute!

Happy Friday!

Dickens of a Christmas 2009

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Some you may remember my talking about our town’s annual “Dickens of a Christmas” last year, an event where they close off Main Street and have different groups performing, different shops with live scenes from the Victorian era in the display windows, etc. We almost didn’t have it this year. The group that had been organizing it was not going to be able to continue. But another group stepped up and took over, so we were happy to attend again.

I didn’t take many pictures because it held everyone else up and because there were a lot of people and often a clear shot was not available. But here are a few.

This was a dancing group that would occasionally pull in some of the observers.

On the store windows were signs with the names of the participating groups, and one of the signs for this group was:

That made me envision a bunch of dancing nuns. But they were not those kinds of sisters. 🙂

This was a neat window display.

The handbell (…choir? Performers? Players?) group made me think of Quilly.

I thought these were pretty nightgowns…

But the sign said they were…

Sorry about the glare. The photo I took without the flash was blurry.

Here is a scene from A Christmas Carol:

When we came by later, Marley was there, chains and all. Wish I could’ve gotten a shot of that!

Sherlock Holmes:

Quilters:

Florence Nightingale (the guy with the cap is a reflection of someone looking in — he is not in the scene):

Our one big downtown building lit up a window display:

These were not in a window display. 🙂 This is Jason and Mittu looking cute in the matching hats and scarves Mittu’s mom made for them.

Our favorite little brass group from last year wasn’t there — at least not in the place they were last year. If they were there somewhere, we missed them.

There was also a food court where area restaurants could set up a booth. We got a slice of pizza and later on hot chocolate and apple cider.

It was definitely a fun evening, and I hope the tradition continues!

Booking Through Thursday

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btt button The Booking Through Thursday for today is:

What’s your favorite part of Booking Through Thursday? Why do you participate (or not)?

I participate because I like reading and I enjoy discussing books and reading issues with others.

I don’t participate every week, though.  Sometimes it is just due to time constraints, but sometimes I don’t participate because the question would only require an answer of one sentence or even just a few words, not enough to really bother with a blog post. I like questions that require some thought, questions where it would be interesting to discuss and gain insights from other participants. But I do understand that other readers might prefer the light, quick questions, so it is nice that the BTT varies from week to week.

Winner!

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The winner of Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle by Tone Finnanger is

Ivory Spring!

I’ll be contacting you shortly for your sending address.

Random Dozen

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Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee is the creator and hostess of the  Wednesday Random Dozen.

1. Which Wizard of Oz character are you most like?

The Cowardly Lion

2. When you’re deciding what you’re going to wear each morning, which item do you select first? Why?

I usually wear dresses or jumpers, so that’s about the ony thing to decide on: which one?

3. What kind of animal do you think the world could live without?

Skunks

4. How many Christmas trees are in your home?

I don’t have any up yet, but we usually have the main big one in the living room. I don’t know if these count, but I also have a little 2-ft. or so one and a tiny 6 or 8 inch one.

5. Would you prefer to be emotionless if it mean you didn’t have to feel a heartbreak?

No. I like emotion. But not too much of it.

6. Do you ever experience holiday let-down or depression?

Yes.

7. Do you like Michael Jackson’s music?

No, though I used to listen to the Jackson Five back in the day.

8. Why is it that we never judge people who have their teeth fixed for cosmetic reasons, but every other cosmetic procedure has a stigma?

I think the only cosmetic surgeries that have a real stigma are those involved in trying to look younger. Surgery with all its risks seems a drastic measure for that, and sometimes it can go woefully wrong.

9. Enjoy horseback riding?

No. I don’t like being bounced and jostled, and I am somewhat afraid of horses. When I was little my family all went riding and the horse my mom and I were on together took off running wild, and I still have that fear that a horse will do that and I won’t be able to rein it in, or it will throw me (yes, I’ve watched too much of America’s Funniest Videos) and step on me or hurt me.

10. Shoes–practical or stylish?

Preferably both, but practicality trumps stylishness. I have balance problems so have to wear flats.

It’s sad that so often it has to be one or the other. Why can’t practicality be stylish?!?

11. What was the name of your first pet? Feel free to post a pic.

I don’t remember the early ones, but the first one I remember was a collie named Sam.

12. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done?

I personally haven’t done any yet, but for what my husband and I were planning on together, he has done about a third of it maybe? I’m not sure.

Book Review: The Heirloom

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The Heirloom by Colleen L. Reece and Julie Reece-DeMarco was a gift to me from my good friend, Carol, some time within the last year. It kept getting buried in my bookshelf and I kept rediscovering it. When I saw it this time, I determined to read it, and it was the perfect time of year for it as the book begins during the Thanksgiving/Christmas season. It could be enjoyed any time of the year, though.

Gorgeously illustrated, it is the story of one man’s sacrifice and the unexpected results of it. We’re not always privileged to know what the Lord does with the things He wants us to give up to Him, but this gives an imaginative journey of the kinds of things that could happen.

I have known some dear, well-meaning souls who take issue with the word “sacrifice,” thinking that whatever we can give to the Lord is our privilege and we should joyfully lay it at His feet. Though there is truth in that aspect, the Bible is honest enough to use the word “sacrifice” in the New Testament as well as the Old.

Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. Philippians 2:17.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16.

King David once said, “Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing” (II Samuel 24:24). A sacrifice costs something. Yet God can give us the grace to offer it joyfully, and He promises, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38).

A fairly short 66 pages, this book is a pleasant read and would be a sweet gift to anyone on your list.